Two ageless wonders -- one human and one equine -- shared the limelight at Pompano Park on Tuesday (Nov. 16) as 70-year-old Rick Plano guided his own trotter Toys For You to victory in the $14,200 Open and 13-year-old warrior Cantab Lindy grabbed the $12,600 Open II trotting co-feature.
With his distinguished career featuring more than 7,100 driving wins and in excess of 4,000 lifetime training wins going in, Plano managed to get Toys For You to the finish a scant nose ahead of Just Maybe The One (Wally Hennessey) in 1:53.3. The Lionking AS (Kevin Wallis), who took charge off the wings before yielding after the opening panel in :27.3, finished third, just a length and a quarter away. BJ Lorado was next with Sooo Handsome picking up the nickel after being moved up a notch to fifth.
Toys For You was away well enough from his mid-pack post and settled into third early as the aforementioned The Lionking AS took charge before yielding to Just Maybe The One, who cut the mustard to a speedy half in :55.3.
On the backside, Plano tilted his five-year-old gelded son of Airzoom Lindy to the outside and started grinding away with the two leaders racing head and shoulders throughout the stretch and needing the photo finish camera to decide the outcome.
In a post race interview, Plano related, "When he's out and rolling, he tries so hard so I don't have to get after him as he seems to be always doing the very best he can. When we hit the wire, I really didn't know if he got there or not -- or even if it was a 'heater!'"
The win was number nine of the season for Toys For You in a busy 33 starts, sending his 2021 bounty to $85,610 -- his best year ever thus far -- and $114,100 lifetime to go along with his 1:52.2 mark set at The Pomp during the last meet.
Toys For You paid $3.60 to win for his fall debut in South Florida.
Cantab Lindy, the ageless 13-year-old warrior owned and trained by Brent Davis, earned his 60th career win with a gate-to-wire win for Ken Holliday in 1:55.3.
The altered son of Cantab Hall carved through panels of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:27.1 before a :28.2 kick home sealed the deal by a half-length over Cash Hit (Dave Ingraham) with Joey Pro (Hennessey) next. Arclight Hanover was fourth, followed by Trix And Stones in the octet.
"Well, I am just so happy for Brent (Davis) as it was his birthday and this made it very special," said Holliday after the jaunt. "This horse just drives himself -- two fingers and that's it! [Cantab Lindy] is such a professional on the racetrack and he is so easy to handle. He sure hasn't lost much since he took his mark many years ago...maybe a step, but that's about it! He's a real warrior."
The win was the seventh in 28 starts this semester for Cantab Lindy, sending his yearly earnings to $58,786 and lifetime bankroll to $694,883.
As the 8-5 second choice, Cantab Lindy paid $5.40 to win.
In the "better for the bettor" department, Pompano's Pick-6, with three chalks -- two 2-1 shots and a 7-2 chance -- comprising the sequence, the payoff was $566.10 for the 50-cent ticket.
Racing continues on Sunday with first post set for 7:20 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)